One of the blurbs on the jacket for Houdini: The Career of Ehrich Weiss says this is “Destined to be the definitive Houdini biography”. If this is true, I certainly hope the others are better written than this one. Kenneth Silverman’s treatment of Houdini, while very thorough, was as dry as dust. The sections dealing the debunking the spiritualists of his day was the highlight for me.

Many magicians today owe a debt of gratitude to Erich Weiss, performing as Houdini. The tricks have not changed all that much, just the showmanship. If nothing else we learn that Houdini was well ahead of his time in appreciating the power of publicity, both in generating it and taking advantage of it. Erich Weiss was not the most original magician of his day, but he could stage a performance better than his peers and he knew how to grab attention. His performing some of his escapes either in the nude or scantily clad was certainly a lot more risqué in the latter 19th and early 20th century than it is today.

Because of the author’s dry treatment, I would have to rate this as barely average. Interest in Houdini himself forced me to keep slogging through the book. Even today, more than 80 years after his death, people cannot escape from the fascination with Houdini. I am no exception. ( )

The definitive biography of Houdini! ( )